If you live anywhere that gets cold in the winter (haha, suckers, love from your friends in south Florida!), you've hopefully made it through most of winter without going all Jack Nicholson in The Shining on anyone. When the weather starts to turn warmer -- and that goes for us down here in paradise -- many of us get the urge to do a little spring cleaning.

A word to the pet-wise, though: spring cleaning can be hazardous to your pup's health. No joke! Harmful chemicals and harsh fumes from cleaners (think bleach or aerosols or ammonia) can really hurt your pet's skin and respiratory system. Dogs (and cats and birds) are much more sensitive to these kinds of things than we are. So choose eco- and pet-friendly cleaning supplies -- or make your own with baking soda and water, or lemon and vinegar. Do a Google search: you'll be comfortably overwhelmed by DIY cleaning product recipes. Just make sure cleaned surfaces are dry before letting your pet walk on them.

And remember that dogs can have allergies too, so if you're stirring up a lot of dust, let Rufus have a playdate at someone else's house until the dust has settled. While he's gone, wash his toys in the dishwasher or washing machine, and also his bedding.

If your pup's starting to shed more as the weather grows warmer, keep brushing him or consider coming in for a Furminator treatment so you're not skating along the floor on tumbleweeds of dog fur (ahem). You wanna be careful that all this fur doesn't cause mats -- click here to find out why.

Lastly, as you get the urge to garden and plant stuff and generally feel alive again by working in the yard, beware of pesticides, herbicides, and fertilizers -- don't let your pup walk on or ingest these (really, just any word that ends in "icide" is creepy, no?). And be sure that the plants you're planting aren't toxic to pets, and neither is the mulch. DO make sure you're up on flea, tick, and heartworm prevention, though!

Ahhhh, the feel and smell of a clean house. One of the best parts of spring, along with breezes through open windows, sunshine, and romps at the park. Enjoy!

Has your dog been itchin’ and scratchin’ a whole lot lately? It could be allergies! They can develop in dogs at any age just like humans. Here are some common symptoms, causes and most importantly ways to make it better! Since they can’t tell us what’s going on we need to be the detectives!

Hooray for you and your future family member! Shelter dogs can make the absolute best pets and with the right preparation can be a smooth transition into your family. We’ve put together some pointers to help you rescue a dog and add tons of love to your life.

Since our canine companions have a furry coat we rarely think about sun damage. But, dogs can develop lumps and bumps just like us, so it's important to get familiar with the landscape of their skin in case something sketchy pops up. It's always best if you can catch it early.